Automatically operable fire protection system and apparatus



A Mmh 23,1937.

H. E. HEIGIS 2,074,960

AUTOMATICALLY OPERABLE FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM AND APPARATUS Filed Dec. 12, 1935v 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig. 5

INVENTOR HENRY ERNEST HE/O/S ATTORNEY March 23, 1937. H. E. HEIGIS AUTOMATICALLY OPERABLE FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM AND APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 12, 1953 INVENTOR HENRY fRNf-ST rim/a lnd/aafor normed/y shows Graze/7 ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 23, 1937 AUTOMATICALLY OPERABLE FIRE PROTEC- TION SYSTEM AND APPARATUS Henry Ernest Heigis, West Orange, N. L, assignor to Walter Kidde & Company, Inc., Bloomfield, N. J a corporation of New York Application December 12, 1933, Serial No. 702,087

8 Claims. (cl; 171-311) This invention relates broadly to a system and apparatus for detecting and indicating or signaling the presence of fire, and embodies more specifically an improved heat actuated system and apparatus of the type referred to adapted for, but by no means limited to, use with vehicles propelled by internal combustion engines, such as airplanes, automobiles, tractors, and the like, the system and apparatus being also adapted to effect the initiation of suitable protective measures, such as the release of a fire extinguishing medium, the shutting-oi! of the fuel supply, the cutting-oil! of the ignition, and the like.

It is an object of the invention to provide a system and apparatus of the type referred to which is simple in construction, neat in appear-v ance, compact, economical to manufacture, effective in operation, and both easy to install and easy to service and reset after operation.

It is another object of the invention to provide a self-contained system and apparatus capable ofoperating without dependence on external sources of energy which are apt to fail in an emergency.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a system and apparatus of the type referred to for use with a self-propelled vehicle which will render a visible signal within the field of vision of the operator of the vehicle.

Still another object is to provide a system and apparatus which will render an audible signal.

These, and further objects of the invention not specifically enumerated above, will be apparent as the invention is described in greater detail in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a fire detecting and indicating system constructed in accordance with the presentlnvention and installed upon an airplane, ,a portion of which is shown in dot and dash lines.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of an indicating device in accordance with the invention.

Figure 3 is a view in section, taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2, and looking in the direction of the For this purpose ent invention but which are described in detail in my copending application Serial No. 702,089, filed on even date herewith which has resulted in Patent Number 2,001,680 of May 14, 1935, are arranged at points where flames are likely to develop upon the outbreak of fire, such as at a point adjacent the engine carburetor, in the oil sump, above the engine to the rearward thereof, etc. For the purpose of the present description it will be sufiicient to understand that the heat actuators are of a type which will create an operating pressure upon the development of flames or suflicient heat, which operating pressure is transmitted through tubing 4 to an indicating and signaling device 5 mounted on the instrument panel'li of the airplane and capable of rendering a visible indication upon the outbreak of fire. The reference numeral 1 represents anaudible alarm or siren controlled by the indicating and signaling device 5, while 8 is a source of electrical potential, such as a storage battery, for energizing the-alarm 1 upon operation of the indicating and signaling device 5.

Referring now to Figures 2, 3 and 4, in which the construction of the indicating and signaling device 5 is shown in detail, 9 represents a supporting member having a base portion Ill and a standard II. On the base I is mounted a ring-shaped body member, and on the body member is mounted a bonnet member I! provided with a chamber I. A gasket l of any suitable material is employed to make an airtight connection between the body member I! and the base III. A flexible diaphragm l6 of any suitable 1L8- terial, e. g. gum rubber, is secured between the body member I! and the bonnet member l3 serving both as an operative element of the indicatingmechanism and to form an airtight connection between the body and bonnet members. The chamber ll of the body I2 is vented to theatmosphere by a relatively small passage l8, and the chamber ll of the bonnet i3 is vented to the atmosphere by a passage is.

The wall of the bonnet opposite to the diaphragm I6 is apertured to receive a guide bushing 20 for a push member 2|, which is secured at its one end to a bearing plate 22. ,The push member 21 is designed to move freely through the guide bushing 20, so that it requires but little force to move it outwardly or inwardly.

It is believed that the remainder of the description will be clearer if it is kept in mind that Figure 2 is aside elevation of the device, and that Figure 3 is a sectional view of Figure 2 looking upwardly. the movable elements of Figure 3 moving sideways in a horizontal direction, and not upwardly and downwardly in a vertical direction. Furthermore, the movements of the various elements will be described as inward or outward with respect to the movement of the push member 2| inwardly or outwardly of the bonnet member I3.

Adjacent the outer end of the push member 2| is arranged a flexible element 23, which is secured at one end in a slot 24 in the bonnet 13 by a screw 25 and a split lock washer 26, and to which is secured at its opposite end the indicating element 21, the bonnet being likewise shown slotted at 28 so as not to interfere with the movement of the flexible element 23. By this arrangement a relatively small movement of the diaphragm I6, which is transmitted to the flexible element 23 by the bearing plate 22 and the push member 2|, will produce a comparatively large movement of the indicating element 21.

The indicating element 21 in the embodiment of the invention here shown is provided with distinguishing indicia on its surface adjacent the standard H, said indicia consisting in a green coloring of the outward portion 29 and a red coloring of the inward portion 30, the terms outward and inward being employed with respect to Figure 3 in the sense hereinbefore explained.

A panel member 3| having a sight opening 32 is secured to the standard II, and a corresponding sight opening is provided in the standard in alignment with the sight opening 32, the sight openings being arranged with respect to the indicating element 21 so that the green colored portion thereof is normally visible through the sight opening 32, the red colored portion thereof becoming visible and the green colored portion thereof becoming simultaneously invisible upon outward movement or the diaphragm l6 and the elements operatively controlled thereby.

The description thus far has dealt with the means for rendering the visible signal, and the description will now be directed to the means for producing an audible signal.

It should accordingly be noted that the reference numerals 3333a--33b33c represent an insulating strip mounted on the outer surface of the bonnet l3, while the reference numerals 34-34:; represent a similar insulating strip. Between the insulating strips 33 and 34 is positioned a conducting strip 35-35a. On the back of the insulating strip 33 is mounted a conductor bar 36, which is electrically connected to the conducting strip 35 by means of a metallic rivet 31. A rivet 38 secures the conductor bar 36 to the insulating strip 33. On the other end of the conductor bar 36 is secured an electrical contact 38 of a suitable contact material. On top of the portion 330 of the insulating strip 33 is mounted an insulating block 40, on the side of which is secured, by means of screws 4| and 42 and split lock washers, a conducting strip 43 of spring material. The screw 4| also serves to hold a conducting strip 44 in electrical connection with the conducting strip 43, the conducting strip 44 being positioned between the insulating strips 33 and 34. On the outer end of the conducting strip 43 is mounted a conducting plate 45, on which in turn is mounted a second electrical contact 46, which is so positioned with respect to the first electrical contact 38 as to be moved into an engagement therewith under the influence of the spring conducting strip 43. It will be noted that the conducting plate 45 is secured to the (:0

ducting strip 43 by means of metallic rivets 41, and that the insulating block 40 is suitably recessed so as not to interfere with the movement of the spring conducting strip 43.

When, therefore, the electrical contact 45 engages the electrical contact 39, a continuous electrical conducting path is established from the portion 35a of the conducting strip 35 to the conducting strip 44, and it will accordingly be seen that this electrical arrangement can be employed to effect an audible signal in the manner already described in connection with Figure 1.

It will be noted, however, that the contacts 38 and 46 are normally separated by an insulating block 48, which is secured by rivets 49 to an extension 50 of the indicating element 21, which has already beendescribed as secured to one end of the flexible element 23, so that movement of the flexible element 23 serves not only to move the indicating element 21 from its normal indicating position to its fire indicating position but also to move the insulating block 48. The insulating block 48 is so proportioned that the same amount of motion that moves the indicating element 21 from its normal indicating position to its abnormal indicating position moves the insulating block 48 from its position between the electrical contacts 33 and 46, permitting the contacts to engage each other under the influence oi the spring conducting strip 43 and to complete an electrical path in the manner already described.

It should be noted, however, that the insulating block 48 serves another important function, as the edge of the insulating block 48 adjacent the electrical contacts engages the contact 46 after it has been moved from its position between the contacts, and thus maintains the indicating element 21 in its fire indicating position after the pressure which acted on the flexible diaphragm l6 has dissipated, it being understood that the indicating element 21 tends to return to its normal indicating position under the influence of the flexible element 23.

In view of what has just been said in regard to the effect of the insulating block 48 in maintaining the indicating element 21 in its flre indicating position upon actuation thereof, it will be readily understood that the indicating element can be reset to its normal indicating position by separating the contact 46 from the contact 39, thus permitting the insulating block 45 and the indicating element 21 to return to their normal positions under the influence of the flexible element 23. In order to accomplish the resetting action, there is provided a reset button 5| having an insulating tip 52 adapted to be pushed into engagement with the conducting plate 45, which carries the contact 46, and to thus separate the contacts 33 and 46, a spring 53 being provided to normally maintain the insulating tip 52 out of contact with the conducting plate 45.

In view 01' the description thus far given, it will be apparent that operation of one of the heat actuators 3, described in connection with the system shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, upon the outbreak of fire will create an operat ing pressure which is transmitted through the conducting tubing 4 to the chamber ll of the indicating and signaling device 5, through an inlet connection 54 not previously mentioned, whereupon the flexible diaphragm M will move outwardly, carrying with it the bearing plate 22 and the push member 21, the latter of which thereby engages the flexible element- 23, moving the indicating element 21 from its normal indicating position to its fire indicating position, at the same'time causing the electrical contacts 39 and 46 to be closed and to thereby render an audible signal.

Reference will now be made to the small pasof air because of wide variations in climatictemperature. Of course, the reason for this precaution is to prevent operation of the flexible diaphragm I6 by changes in pressure due to changes in climatic temperature. The passage l8, however, is made sufiiciently small, so that it can not relieve the operating pressure created upon the outbreak of fire until after the diaphragm l6 has been operated.

On the other hand, the purpose of the passage IQ of the indicating and signaling device is to prevent of the building up of any back pressure in the chamber H and to permit the escape of air from the chamber l4 when the flexible diaphragm I6 is moved outwardly upon an increase in pressure in the chamber 11.

It will be noted that the push member 2| is shown as a hollow member, and the primary purpose of this construction is to lighten the passing all the way through the elements from the side of the base In of the supporting member 9 opposite to that on which the elements are mounted. One of'these screws is shown at 55 and serves to secure the body l2 and the bonnet Hi to the base Ill. The screws 56, 51 and 58 serve not only the same purpose as the screw 55 but also to hold together the various insulating elements. The screw 59 is provided with a nut 60 of special construction for securing the cover of the apparatus, which cover forms no part of the present invention and is accordingly not described. The screw-threaded hole GI and the hole 62 also serve for securing the cover.

It might also be well to point out that the views of Figures 2 and 3 are twice the normal size, but that Figure 4 represents the normal size and appearance of the panel member 3i when the indicating and signaling device is mounted, for example, on the instrument panel of an airplane.

Reference has also been made at the beginning of this specification to the adaptation of the system and apparatus of the present invention to effecting initiation of suitable protective meas ures, such as the release of a fire extinguishing medium, shutting-oil of the fuel supply, the cutting-off of the ignition, and the like. In this connection reference is made to the copending application of Daniel Mapes, Serial No. 641,970.

75 filed November 10, 1932, Patent Number 2,011,368

of August 13, 1935, in which is shown and de scribed a release device for a fire extinguishing medium operable by an increase in pressure of a substantially confined body of air acting on a bellows-like member corresponding to the flexible diaphragm I6 of the present invention. Such a fire extinguishing medium release device can be suitably connected with the system and apparatus of the present invention, so that a fire extinguishing medium may be released simultaneously with the rendition of the fire alarm signals of the present invention. In so far as other protective measures are concerned, and even including the release of a fire extinguishing medium, such measures might be controlled electrically by the means of the present invention provided for rendering an audible signal.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the present invention embodies the various objects pointed out at the beginning, and that while the invention resides in certain principles of construction and operation whichhave been illustrated and described in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that they can, of course, be embodied in other forms of construction without departure therefrom, and I do not wish to be strictly limited for this reasonto the disclosure, but rather to the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An indicating unit operable by fluid pressure comprising a body member formed with a chamber for substantially confining a body of fluid, said chamber having a movable wall adapted to move upon a change in the pressure of the confined body of fluid, a fluid conducting passage for connecting the chambered body member to means for effecting a change in pressure of the confined body of fluid, a mechanically controlled indicator having a normal indicating position and an abnormal indicating position, an electrically controlled indicator capable of indicating both a normal condition and an abnormal condition of the means being supervised, a pair of electrical contacts for controlling said electrically controlled indicator, one at least of said contacts being movably mounted, means normally urging the contacts toward engagement, means movable with the mechanically controlled indicator normally maintaining separation of the contacts, and means operable upon movement of the movable wall of the chambered body member to actuate the mechanically controlled indicator from its normal indicating position to its abnormal indicating position and to render ineffective the means normally maintaining separation of said contacts, said means for maintaining separat oncf the contacts serving when rendered ineffective for such purpose to maintain the mechanically controlled indicator in its abnormal indicating position.

2. An indicating unit operable by fluid pressure comprising a' body member formed with a chamber for substantially confining a body of fluid, said chamber having a movable wall adapted to move upon a change in the pressure of the confined body of fluid, a fluid conducting passage for connecting the chambered body member to means for effecting a orange in pressure of the confined body of fluid, a mechanically controlled indicator having a normal indicating position and an abnormal indicating position, an electrically controlled indicator capable of indi cating both a normal condition and an abnormal condition of the means being supervised, a pair of electrical contacts for controlling said electrically controlled indicator, one at least of said contacts being movably mounted, means normally urging the contacts toward engagement, means movable with the mechanically controlled indicator normally maintaining separation of the contacts, means operable upon movement of the movable wall of the chambered bodymember to actuate the mechanically controlled indicator from itsnormal indicating position to its abnormal indicating, position and to render ineffective the means normally maintaining separation of said contacts, said means for maintaining separation of the contacts serving when rendered inefiectivc for such purpose to maintain the mechanically controlled indicator in its abnormal indicating position, and means to reset the indicating unit to its normal condition comprising means to separate the contacts and to thereby permit the means for normally maintaining separation of the contacts and the mechanically controlled indicator to return to their normal condition.

3. An indicating unit operable by fluid pressure comprising a body member formed with a chamber for substantially confining a body of fluid, said chamber having a movable wall adapted to move upon a change in the pressure of the confined body of fluid, a fluid conducting passage for connecting the chambered body member to the means for effecting a change in pressure of the confined body of fluid, a spring member mounted on the chambered body member and adapted to be flexed upon movement of the movable wall of the chambered body member, an indicator mounted on said spring member and having a normal indicating position and an abnormal indicating position, a pair or elements, one at least of said pair of elements being movably mounted, means normally urging the pair of elements toward engagement, and means normally lying between and maintaining separation of the pair of elements, the movement 01' said spring member serving to efi'ect movement of the indicator from its normal indicating position to its abnormal indicating position and to render ineffective the means normally maintaining separation of said pair or elements, said means for maintaining separation of said pair of elements serving when rendered ineffective for such purpose to maintain the indicator in its abnormal indicating position.

4. An indicating unit operable by fluid pressure comprising a body member formed with a chamber for substantially confining a body 01 fluid, said chamber having a movable wall adapted to move upon a change in the pressure or the confined body of fluid, a fluid conducting passage for connecting the chambered body member to the means for eflecting a change in pressure of the confined body of fluid, a spring member mounted on the chambered body member and adapted to be flexed upon movement of the movable wall of the chambered body member, an indicator mounted on said spring member and having a normal indicating position and an abnormal indicating position, a pair of elements, one at least of said pair of elements being movably mounted, means normally urging the pair of elements toward engagement, means normally lying between and maintaining separation of the pair of elements, the movement of said spring member serving to effect movement of the indicator from its normal indicating position to its abnormal indicating position and to render in eilfective the means normally lying'betweeri and maintaining separation of said pair of elements, said means for maintaining separation of said pair of elements serving when rendered inefiective for such purpose to maintain the indicator in its abnormal indicating position, and means to reset the indicating unit to its normal condition comprising means to separate said pair of elements and to thereby permit the means for normally maintaining separation of said pair of elements and said indicator to return to their normal positions.

5. An indicating unit operable by fluid pressure comprising a body member formed with a chamber for substantially confining a body of fluid, said chamber having a movable wall adapted to move upon a change in the pressure of the confined body of fluid, a fluid conducting passage for connecting the chambered body member to the means for effecting a change in pressure of the confined body of fluid, a spring member mounted on the chambered body member and adapted to be flexed upon movement of the movable wall of the chambered body member, an indicator mounted on said spring member and having a normal indicating position and an abnormal indicating position, a pair of elements, one at least of said pair of elements being movably mounted, means normally urging the pair of elements toward engagement, means normally lying between and maintaining separation of the pair of elements, the movement of said spring member serving to effect movement of the indicator from its normal indicating position to its abnormal indicating position and to render ineifective the means normally maintaining separation of said pair of elements, said means for maintaining separation of said pair of elements serving when rendered ineiiective for such purpose to maintain the indicator in its abnormal indicating position, and means to reset the indicating unit to its normal condition comprising means to separate said pair of elements and to thereby permit the means for normally maintalning separation of said pair of elements and said indicator to return to their normal positions, said last named resetting means including yieldable means normally maintaining said resetting means out of engagement with said pair of elements.

6. An indicating unit operable by fluid pressure comprising a body member formed with a chamber for substantially confining a body of fluid, said chamber having a movable wall adapted to move upon a change in the pressure of the confined body of fluid, a fluid conducting passage for connecting the chambered body memher to the means for effecting a change in presof said contacts being movably mounted, means normally urging the pair of contacts toward engagement, and means normally lying between and maintaining separation or the contacts, the

movement of said spring member serving to effect movement of the mechanically controlled indicator from its normal indicating position to its abnormal indicating position and to render 5 ineffective the means normally maintaining separation of said contacts, said means for maintaining separation 01 the contacts serving when rendered inefiectlve for such purpose to maintain the mechanically controlled indicator in its ab- 10 nc.-mal indicating position.

7. An indicating unit operable by fluid pressure comprising a body member formed with a chamber for substantially confining a body of fluid, said chamber having a movable wall adapted to 1 move upon a change in the pressure of the confined body of fluid, a fluid conducting passage for connecting the chambered body member to the means for eflecting a change in pressure of the confined body of fluid, a spring member 20 mounted onthe chambered body member and adapted to be flexed upon movement 01' the movable wall of the chambered body member, a mechanically controlled indicator mounted on said spring member and having distinguishing 25 indicia for indicating a normal condition and an abnormal indicating condition, a panel-like member serving to conceal the mechanically controlled indicator from view and having a sight opening so positioned that one of the indicia at a 30 time is observable therethrough, the index for indicating a normal condition being normally observable through the sight opening, common supporting means on which to mount the chambered body member and said panel-like member,

an electrically controlled indicator capable indicating both a normal condition and an abnormal condition of the means being supervised, a pair of electrical contacts for controlling said electrically controlled indicator, one at least of said contacts being movably mounted, means normally urging the pair of contacts toward engagement, means normally lying between and maintaining separation of the contacts, the movement of said spring member serving to move 45 the abnormal condition index of the mechanically controlled indicator within the field of view or the sight opening and to move thenormal condition index out of the fleld of view of the sight opening and serving also to render ineffec- 50 tive the means normally maintaining separation of said contacts, said means -i'or maintaining separation of the contacts serving when rendered ineflective ior such purpose to maintain the mechanically controlled indicator with its abnormal condition index within the field of view of the sight opening, and means to reset the indicating unit comprising means mounted on and.

extending through said panel-like member to separate said contacts and to thereby permit the means for normally maintaining separation of the contacts and the mechanically controlled indicator to return to their normal conditions, said resetting means including yieldable means nor- -mally maintaining said resetting means out of engagement with said contacts.

8. A unitary indicating device operable by fluid pressure comprising a panel-like member provided with a sight opening, a supporting member secured to said panel-like member, a chambered body member having an apertured wall mounted on said supporting member, a chambered bonnet member, said body member and said bonnet member being adapted to be positioned with the chambered portions thereof adjacent each to the other, a flexible diaphragm secured between the .body member and the bonnet member serving to close the aperture in the wall of the body member and to substantially confine a body of fluid in said chambered body member, said diaphragm being adapted to move upon an increase in the pressure 0! the confined body of fluid, a fluid conducting passage through the wall of the chambered body member, an aperture in the wall oi. the bonnet member opposite to the diaphragm and disposed substantially centrally with respect thereto, an operating member extending through the aperture in the wall of the bonnet member and adapted to be movably engaged by said diaphragm; an elongated spring member supported at one end on the bonnet member, positioned so as to be movably engaged by said operating member, and having its free end extend adjacent the sight opening in the panel-like member; and an indicator mounted on the free end of the elongated spring member so as to be observable through the sight opening and having distinguishing indicia for indicating a normal condition and an abnormalcondition, only one of the indicia at a time being observable through the sight opening, the movement oi the diaphragm serving to effect movement of the abnormal condition index within the field of view of the sight opening and to efiect movement of the normal condition index out or the field of view of the sight opening.

HENRY ERNEST HEIGIS. 

